Speed responsive apparatus



Agg. 25, 1931. w. BKSELERETAL' 1,820,042

SPEED RESPONSIVE APPARATUS 7 Filed Aug. 2:5, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1- 4 Patented Aug. 25, 1931 WOLFGANGV'BASELER, or mnnioi-asann aneus'r MEYER, or IBERLIN-SOI-IONEBERG,

e RM-ANY srnnn nnsro xisivn APPARATUS Application filed-August "2e; iesc, s nsin 477,330, and in- Germany June 24, 1926.

This invention relatesto speediresponsive apparatus and particularlyto apparatus of this character adaptedi'or use in connection with car rctardingdevices employed for controlling the speed of vehicles in humpyards and the like. u u

In the operation of .car retarding devices in hump yards itis .custoinaryto control the braking action exerted by the devices from a '10 convenient point of observation and in order that the cars may be brought torest at a desired point in the track itlis necessary for the operator controlling the 'brakingflto ad -i just thebraking' efi'ort exerted so that the vehicles will leave the retarding"'device'at speed appropriate to the point at vvl'iich the vehicles are to be broughtto rest. Ekperi 'ence has shown that eVen'a'fteI' long practice it is difficult for the operator to estimate by o bl servation alone Whether the desired speed has been attained forthis purpose'and according,- ly one of the objects of the inventionis to provide improved means forindicating'atfany desired point, the speed at whicha vehicle' 'is 5 travelling along'a'tracki u Another object ofthe'inven'tioi'i is to provide means for automatically controlling the operation of carretarding or braking apparatus in accordance'with the speed-of the an vehicle passing therethrough. I

The invention is' il ustrated byway fof eX- ample; in the accompanying drawings oi which Fig.1 is a diagrammatic View of one 7 form of speed indicating and controlling aps5 paratus embodying the invention, Figs. Zand 3 being similar views of another form of apparatus alsoembodying the :invention.' Fig. 4- is a detail sectionalvieW-o-f an-el enie ntof the apparatus shown in Figs.-1,2,' and3.f 1?.

Referring now first to: the form of speed indicating and controlling apparatus "s'hoyvn in Figure 1 it willbes een 'tliat tli e apparatus comprises'a plurality of track devices T T T T. located at suitably spaced intervals Ti along a trackv (not shown) 'traversedfby the vehicle the speed of whichis to be in'dicated. The track'devices T T Tfl'are adapted to be influencedby the passage of thevehicle in such a nanner that as the vehicle passes each device an electriccurrentis caused mo nientarily to flow in the circuit of the device.

As here shown the track devices T T T,

are oi the inductor type, e'ach compris- 311g a winding 1, 2, 3, 4, adapted to be inductively influenced by the passage of the vehicle so as to causev a current impulse to traverse the windingof the inductor. This action may be accomplished in various ways but preferably the inductor windings are arranged to be traversed by the magnetic flux utilized for braking purposes in car retard- ,m-g' apparatus hereinafter referredto, the

reluctance of the flux circuit at each inductor Winding being arranged to be modified by the passage of a wheel of the vehicle.

It will thus be apparent that as the vehicle moves along the track in the direction indicated by the arrow, current impulses are generated inth'e windings 1, 2, 3, 4', of the track inductors T ,,T T T in succession, the intervalsot time separating successive impulses being dependent upon the speed of the vehicle'and upon the space intervals separating the several inductors.

i The terminals of the winding 1 of the first "track inductor T are connectedto the terminals of'the energizing winding 5 of a relay and the windings 2, 3, 4 of the inductors niagnet G is provided with a rotatable armature 7 of magnetizahle material so mounted as to be capable of rotation about the same sins of rotation as the electro-magnet G, the armature 7 being rotated by the electro-magnet when the latter is energized. It will thus be seen that the electro-magnet G constitutes an electro-magnetically controlled coupling for transmitting the rotation of the motor 1% to the armature 7. The latter'is' operatively connected to a rotatable arm Sterminating in a pointer 9 adapted to move over a scale 10 which is graduated inany desired units of'speed. The arm 8 is arranged to be rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow when the electro-mag net G is energized, this rotational movement of the arm 8 being effected against the action of a controlling spring 11. The arm 8 is providedwith a contact piece 12 adapted when the arm 8 has been rotated through a predetermined arc to engage with and cause the closure of contacts 13 which are adapted toz beladjustabl positioned at any desired point in the pat of the arm 8. The contacts 13 are connected in the circuit of the release coil 14 of a manually operated'controlling switch S in series with a batter 15 from 'which the coil 14 is supplied witi Current,

' E The switchS is provided with an operathandle or lever 16 and when in its closed pgsitionshown in the drawings is arranged t 'o .complete. at the switch contacts 17 the rcircuit ot aii electrically operated or'con- ,trolledcar retarding device, not shown,

avhich is located on the track adjacent to the inductors .T T etc. The switch S is adapted-m l eu closed to be retained in its closed, position by a latch mechanismor its ,equ'ivalentwhich is released by the energization. ofllthe release 001114. In its closed position the switch-S also closes contacts 18 'includedzintthe' circuit of a battery 19 in- .cluding contacts 20 of the relay R, contacts f21pfthe relay P, the energizing coil 22 of the electro magnet G, contacts 23 ofa cut- .outfrelay and the energizing coil 240i the re y-Q a v l iThe cut-out relayO comprises an armature, 25-carrying a contact-arm 26 adapted to engage with the contacts23 as shown when the coil 24 is energized. V q .flhe; contact-arm 26 'is adapted to be engaged by an arm 27 secured to the arm 8 of the indicating device H when the arm 8 isinlits' inoperative position, as shown, in ,which position the. arm 8 is maintained against a stop 28 by the action of the controlling spring 11. ,:,The'relay R is providedwith contacts 29 included in a stick circuit for the relay windingfi. I

The. operation of the apparatus is as follows:,. fLet, itbe assumed that a train of vehicles is travellingalong the track in the direction ,of the arrownand that it is desired to effect such-5a reduction in the speed of the vehicles as to cause their coming to rest at a desired point-. V f 1 riThe operator will for this purpose operaatezthe switch S to its closed position shown "in the figurein which the contacts 17 are closedrso as to render operative the car retarding devioethrough which the vehicles pass. The switch S having been thusclosed avill-beheld-in-its closed position by the latch .mechanism vabove referred to until this may be traced from the positive terminal of the battery 19 through Wire 30, contacts 18, wire 31, contacts 29', wire 32, relay winding'5, wire 33, to the negative'terminal of the battery 19. The relay R having thus been energized by the current impulse from the inductor T remains energized until the switch S is opened as will be hereinafter described.

The relay P remains in its deene'rgized position shown in the figure until the vehicle passes over track inductor T and until thls occurs a circuit is completed from the positive terminal of the battery 19 through wire 30, contacts 18 of switch S, wire 31, contacts 20 of relay R, wire 34, contacts 21 of relay 1?, wire 35, energizing coil 22 of electro-magnet G, wire 36, contacts 23 of cut-out relay-C, wire 37, energizing coil 24 of'relay (land wire 38 to the negative terminal of battery'l The electro-magnet G being thus energized, the armature 7 is rotated, and causes the arm 8 to movein the direction indicated by-the arrow towards the contacts 13. J This movement of the arm 8 causes the arm 27 to moveaway from the contact arm 26 but the latter is retained in "the position shown in which the contacts 23 are closed owing to the cut-out relay C being energized. As soon as the vehicle passes over the track inductor Tithe current impulse generated thereby in the inductor winding 2 causes a momentary current impulse to traverse the energizing winding 6 of the relay P with the result that the contacts 21 being thereby opened, the energizing circuit of the coil 22 of theelectro-magnet G and of the coil 24 of the-'cut-out relayiC isvinterrupted. The armature 7 is thus no longer rotated by-the electro-magnet G and the arm 8- is con-sequently arrested in itsmovement and returns to the position shown under the action'of the controlling spring '11; V

' The. ultimate position attained by the arm 8' before its arrest as above explained indicates bymeans ofthe position of the pointer 9 relative to the scale 10, the speed of the vehicle sincethis position is dependent upon the time takenby'the vehicle to traverse the distance between the inductors T and T So long .as speed is sufliciently great to cause the arrest. and return of the arm 8 before reaching the" contacts 13, the braking action of the car retarding devicewlllcontmue slnce the release coil 14 of the switch S is not energized.

The deenergization of the coil 24 of the 'cut'out relaylG permitsthe armature 25 of the relayC to fall away and to engage with a stop '39 thereby 'o'peningthe contacts 23. The latter are consequently not reclosed until the arm 8 of the device H has fully returned to will effect the supply of current from the battery 15 to the release coil 14 of the switch S and thus cause thisswitch to be automatically opened andto suspend the braking action of the car retarding device.

It will be apparent that assuming that the contacts 13 are not closed by the action of the arm 8, this arm after the vehicle has passed the inductor T will again be rotated in the direction of the arrow until the arm 8 is again arrested and'lpermitted to return to its original position when the vehicle passes over the track inductor T, a similar action taking place as the vehicle passes over the inductor T 2 The speed indicating device H will thus by means of its pointer 9 give an indication of the speed of the vehiclea-s the latter )a-sses over the successive sections of the trac separating the track inductors T T T T and T -T*,"while when the speed of the vehicle has been reduced at any stage of its progress over these track sections to the desired value, the contacts 13 will be closed by theaction of the arm 8 so as to cause the braking action of the car retarding device to cease.

Referring "now to the form of apparatus shown in Figures 2, 3 and4, each of the track inductors T T T etc. is in this case arranged-to supply a current impulse, as a vehicle passes the inductor, to a separate relay. These relays'are indicated'at R R R etcrand eachzcomprises a pick-up winding 5 and a stick winding with the exception sections between the track inductors and these devices being-indicated in Figures 2 and 3.:at H H H and'I-P respectively.

Each of the devices H1,-H ,H ,H issimilar to the device H alreadydescribed with reference to Figure 1 and comprises an electro-magnet having an energizing coil 22 and a rotatablearmature 7 carrying an arm 8,

the-latter being adapted to move over a graduated speed indicating scale 10 and to en- 1 gage with adjustable control contacts 13. The contacts 13 are connected in parallel with one another to control wires'49 through which the release coil 14 of controlling switch device corresponding to that indicated at S 3 in Figure 1 is at times supplied with current from a battery 15.

The electro-magnets of the speed indicating devices H H H and H are arranged to be driven by a common shaft which is rotated at a constant speed by means of a motor M. Y

Tht operation'of this form of the apparatus is as follows: 4

A vehicle proceeding along the track past the inductors T T Ti'etc in the direction indicated by the arrow will in passing the the first inductor T cause an impulse to be transmitted to the pick-up winding 5 of the correspondin relay R This relay being thereby energized, Will close its front contacts 41 and complete a circuit-from the positive terminal of the-battery 19 through wires 43 and 44, the energizing coil 22 of speedindicating device H wire 45, back contacts 42 ofrelay-R wire 46, the'stick winding 40 of relay B and Wires 47 and 48 to the negative terminal of battery19.

a It will be understood that the current impulse in winding 5 of relay R is only momen- 7 tary but therelay will be held in its energized position by current supplied to the stick winding 40 from the battery 19 through the circuit just traced. The coil 22 of the electro-magnet of the indicatin device B being thus energized, the device 1 will now operate to cause its'arm 8 to move over the scale 10 as already described in connection with the corresponding device H of the apparatus of Figure 1; a

As soon as the vehicle passes overthe second track inductor T the pick-up winding 5 of the relay R receives'a current impulse from the inductor T with the resultthat the relay R moves to its energizedzpositionand in so doing interrupts the circuit of the stick winding 40 of the relay R so that this relay is now deenergized. The circuit through the energizing coil-22 of the electro-magnet of the device H is also interrupted by the opening of the back contacts '42 of the relay R so that the movement of the arm S'of the device H over the scale 10 will be arrested and the arm 8 will return to its original position in the manner already described.

The p'osition'attained by-the arm 8 15f the shaft 551'; carriesrigidly-mounted: thereon a collar-"55ihaviiigan annularlbevelled face 56,

device H before itsreturirmovementi'avill evidently constitute :an" inditationwo'zt ithe speed of the vehicle in'ltravelling betweenthe track inductors T and T 112s The energization of therrelayi'R iidueto the passage of the "vehicle cover the traek inductor T will cause the. arnr 8i otth'e. speed indicating device H to be moved-'overait's scale in a similar 'manneriuntil ':wl1en-;the vehicle passes over the track inductor T the relayR- is energized and eifectsrrthe den ergization of the-relay 'R and consequently of the electro magnetof the device-H -.?-*The arm 8 of this latterdevice :isjthen arrested at a position on. its scale giving an indication of the speed of the vehicle between-the track inductors T and T Thefurther progress. of the vehicle will evidently effect in asimilar; inannerlthe' successiveenergization of the relays'Rfiand R5, the corresponding speed indicating'fdeviccs H and H being started =intokopcr-atio'ii' as the relays R and R are energiz'ed-res'pec tively. The passage ofthevehicle ovcrthe last track inductor T efiects thedeenei gizittion of the relay R andicaus es theZarnrS' Of the indicating deviceI-I to bearrested "and .to return to its original position. It Will thus be apparent "that the=devices H H H and H ind-icate theaspeed-bffithe vehicle during its passage ove r the sections of tracks separating. the track inductors T T T -T T 'T 'and'T TeT lresPectively. V I .i:

If at any point in the -progress of -the we hicle over theseftrack section's,itheimovement of the arm 8 of any'of the speedqiirdi'cating devices H H H or H is su Hicient to cause the armS to engage with and to close the contacts 13 of the deviee',ithe control W-i-i-e'sAS will be connected :Wltll one another. atrthe contacts 13 thus closeds0 as to etfectithe supply of current to the release *coil' lt-ifroin-tli'e battery 15, thus rendering the car retarding device inoperative as above describe .a The braking action is thussuspended as soon-res the speed of the vehicle in any of theftrack sections is reduced to the desired value d'er tGI'IHlHQCl by the adjustment of theicontacts 13'. "i

Referring now to Figure a preferred construction of the electro -niagnetic nechzu nism of therspeed indicating.devices-seniployed in theapparatus oii'Fig-ures 1, Q an'd'3 is illustrated. In this construction the electro-ma-gnet G is stationary and comprises'an annular core 50 ofU-sectionienclosing the energizing coil 22.: The right-lhand lend of the core 50 forms :eoncentric annulari-pole pieces 51, 52 opposite to which is 'arrangedian annular armature 7 supportediupon a'collar 53 which is loosely mounted upon a shaft 54 adapted to" be continuously rotatedbythe motor M shown inFiguresv-liandx2a @The adaptedlto be engaged by a corresponding internal annular projection 57 formed on the collar IZA coilssprin'g 58 surrounding the "shaft 5 t 'is;interposed betW-een lthe collars 53 and 55i-an'dztends normally: to' maintain the iees eeuzaes 53 in engagement. with a collar 5t9 'jscured to theshaft 541.- The arm 8 of the dei iceiis-nttaelied:te the collar 53 carrying 'theia rinaturet7. and="tl1e operation ofthe devicefis asrfollews g .j-So long-gas thecoilQQ-isdeenergized, the rotation ofithe shaft 54 carrying with it the fcollars i55 fian'd- '59. is not-transmitted to the icollari. 53 -whichis =:held out of engagement ivithl t'hecollar'55: oy the action of the spring i58ifi h'e'icollar'53; armature 7 and arm 8 are unit eritielling springstance-at Eli; wi lien liowei'eii cine izing current is supplied -to::tIie-eoihQQfithe pore-503 is magnetized and the armature-T isattracted towards the :pole pieces51 ,;52 carrying-with it the collar 53 and compi'essi'ng. the spring '58. This ini-ovement of the collar brings the annular projection '5 7s :on:c=thcollar 53 into frict'i ongr rengagem-cut with the bevelled face. 56 opt-thedollar455iandfthe collars 53 and 55 beingtherehyw'coupletl together, the collar 53 rotates with the collar 55 and shaft 54 .until the coil 22 is again deenergized, whereupon the sprin 58 moves the collar 53 away from the col'lar55 f so"that the collar 53, armature Tand'arni 8 are againkfree to return to their original aii-igulaiwpositions. i a r "z dvi li' be" evideut that inboth the forms def-apparatus described the "track inductors cated in Figure 1 for inor current?impulses torth-erelays. --For inr'rce ther-ltraick idevices above referred to may.rcoinprisezcontacts adapted to-be closed by'the passage of a vehicle, these contacts being included in circuits in which the relay .irindingsnand aisuitable source of current are connected: .Z a

*' eA-lth'ongh :only certain embodiments of the invention-hare been described and illustrated it'is tor-hegunderstood'thatltheinvention is not 'limitedto suc'h cmbodiments or otherwise except-'asii-ndicated-by-the appended claims. i #Having nouudescribed OHIziIlVGIltlOIl, what .ive claim ;asemand desireflto secure by Lettersfiatentfiis'zkir- 1. In speed responsive apparatus the combinationot'ade ticerlocated on a .trackio'ver which a iiielii'cle ti':ii els',1a 1novalile indicating :meaba,-:-mans operated by the passage of said'mehiele oiien' sai-d device-for starting said member into motienl an'd means operated by the" passage-lof sai'd'veliicle'over a point in the track separated ircin'l sai-d device. by a prehese' conditi'ons maintained in their normal position-under the action-of the condetermined interval for arresting the movement of said member. y

2. In speed responsive apparatus the combination of a device located on a track over which a vehicle travels, a second device located on said track ahead of said first device in the direction of movement of said vehicle, a movable indicating member, means operated by the passage of said vehicle over said first device for starting said member into motion and means operated by the passage of said vehicle over said second device for arresting the movement of said member.

3. In speed responsive apparatus the combination of a device located on a track over which a vehicle travels, a second device located on said track ahead of said first device at a predetermined distance therefrom, a movable indicating member, means for imparting movement at a constant speed to said member, means controlled by the passage of a vehicle past said first device for coupling said movement imparting means to said member and means operated by the passage of the vehicle over said second device for disconnecting said movement imparting means from said member.

4. In speed responsive apparatus the com bination of a device located on a track over which a vehicle travels, a movable indicating member, means tending to maintain said member in a predetermined position, means operated by the passage of said vehicle over said device for starting said member into motion from said position and means operated by the passage of said vehicle over a point in the track separated from said device by a predetermined interval for arresting the movement of said member.

5. In speed responsive apparatus the combination of a series of relays, means for energizing each relay in succession as a vehicle passes successive spaced points along a track over which the vehicle travels, a movable member, means for imparting movement at a constant speed to said member, electromagnetic means for coupling said movement imparting means to said member, means operated by one of said relays when energized for rendering said coupling means operative and means operated by another of said relays when energized for rendering said coupling means inoperative.

6. In speed responsive apparatus the combination of a plurality of track devices arranged at spaced intervals along a track over which a vehicle travels, a speed indicating device for each of said intervals and means operated by the passage of the vehicle over the track devices at the beginning and end ofeach of said intervals for setting said speed indicating device into and out of operation respectively.

7. In speed responsive apparatus the combination of a plurality of relays, means for successively energizing said relays operated by the passage of a vehicle over a series of spaced points along a track over which the vehicle travels, means operated by the passage of the vehicle over one of said points for deenergizing the relay energized by the passage of the vehicle over the adjacent point previously passed and a plurality of speed indicating devices controlled by said relays.

8. In speed responsive apparatus, the combination of a plurality of relays, means for energizing said relays in succession, operated by the passage of a vehicle. over a series of spaced points along a track over which the vehicle travels, a pick-up winding for each relay, a stick winding for each relay except that corresponding tothe last of said spaced points, means for supplying energizing current to each of said stick windings when said relay has been energized, means for deenergizing each of said stick windings when the next successive relay is energized and a plurality of speed responsive devices controlled by said relays.

9. In speed responsive apparatus the combination of a plurality of relays, means for successively energizing said relays operated by the passage of a vehicle over a series of points spaced at intervals along a track over which the vehicle travels, a speed responsive device for each of said intervals comprising a movable member, means for imparting movement at a constant speed to the member of each of said devices, and electrically operated means controlled by said relays for coupling and uncoupling said movement imparting means to and from the member of each of saiddevices in succession.

In testimony whereof We have hereunto set our hands.

WOLFGANG BASELER. AUGUST MEYER. 

